SE436477B - METALLIZED DECORATIVE FILM LAMINATE AND WAY TO MAKE IT SAME - Google Patents

Description

The result is obtained by applying a metal layer on one side of a plastic film by transfer lamination and subsequent connection of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and optionally applying a release layer on the other side of the metal layer.

Some preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures. Of these, Fig. 1 shows a substantially transparent plastic film, to which the metallized layer is to be connected. Fig. 2 shows the combination of plastic film / metal layer since the latter is adhesively connected to the plastic film by transfer lamination and how the carrier film in the transfer laminate is removed.

Fig. 3 shows the laminate according to Fig. 2 after applying an anchoring coating to the protective layer or release layer remaining in the transfer laminate used in the previous step. Fig. 4 shows an end product after a release layer and pressure-sensitive adhesive has been applied to the anchoring layer in the laminate according to Fig. 3.

Fig. 1 shows the substantially transparent plastic film 1, which may be any of the person skilled in the art for the production of decorative, contact-adhesive products known, conventional, substantially transparent and flexible film. The term "substantially transparent" here refers to plastic films that are sufficiently transparent for the viewer to perceive the decorative effect. which the metal layer provides in the laminate according to the invention.

The thickness of the film 1 may be between about 0.05 to 0.5 mm and the film may be a homo- or copolymer of vinyl chloride (the preferred film material), a polyester resin, a cellulosic resin or the like. Films of this type are well known in the art and have previously been used in the manufacture of decorative laminates which differ in their construction from the present laminates.

Fig. 2 shows the subcombination of laminate obtained when a thin metal layer 2 is adhesively connected to the plastic film 1. This is achieved by transfer laminating the layer 2 to the film 1 by means of a "metallized transfer laminate", which is indicated by the designation 10 in fig. 2. Such laminates are well known but have hitherto been used for laminating thin metal layers to the type of substantially transparent plastic film used here to design decorative metallized laminates useful as decorative ornaments, e.g. on such surfaces as motor vehicles and the like. Preferred metallized transfer laminates of this type are marketed under the name "Chromtex" by Kurz-Hastings, Inc., Philadelphia, USA.

The metallized transfer laminate comprises an adhesive layer 3 connected to a thin metal layer 2, which is bonded to a carrier film 4 preferably by means of a protective coating or release layer 5. The metallized transfer laminate 10 is connected to the substantially transparent film 1 on such that the metal layer 2 is adhesively bonded to the film 1. The carrier film 4 in the metallized transfer laminate 10 is then torn off as shown in Fig. 2.

The carrier film 4 may consist of a suitable flexible material which may be coated as desired with resin solutions forming the protective coating or release liner 5. Examples of suitable carrier films 4 are obtained from polyethylene terephthalate, crystallized copolymers of ethylene terephthalate and isophthalate, oriented polyethylene, polyethylene paper and polyolefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene. The carrier film 4 may have a thickness of about 0.013-0.125 mm.

The protective coating or release liner 5 is preferably included in the metallized transfer laminate 10, as it facilitates the tearing of the carrier film 4 from the laminate after the metal layer 2 is adhesively bonded to the transparent film 1.

The release liner 5 can be obtained by coating the carrier film 4 with preferably resin solution containing solvents which do not adversely affect the film 4 and an organically dissolved substance which is not normally compatible therewith. Some examples of representative release liner materials are polyurethanes, silicones, phenol formaldehyde solutions, solvent systems of polyesters and combinations such as methyl methacrylate, ethylene terephthalate and ethylene isophthalate and water and organic solvent systems of polyvinyl acetate and polyvinyl chloride. The coating used to form the release liner 5 can be applied uniformly by conventional coating techniques, such as direct roll coating, counter roll coating or flexography or rotogravure techniques. After drying, the release layer 5 forms a layer which is bonded to the carrier film 4, although not chemically reacted.

The metal layer 2, which is preferably connected to the surface of the release layer 5, can be made of any metal such as gold, silver, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, nickel, zinc, copper, chromium, cobalt, selenium or the like. Metal compounds as well as alloys can also form the layer. Aluminum or an aluminum alloy is often preferred for economic and durability reasons. The thickness of this layer is usually between about 500 or 750 Å and up to about 12,500 Å. The films can be deposited on the release layer 5 by applying known thermal evaporation techniques or sputtering techniques as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,993,806. The type of adhesive layer 3 in the metallized transfer laminate 10 depends on the type of plastic film 1 to which it is to be connected. Heat-activated adhesives compatible with plastic film 1 can be used and include rubber-phenolic resin systems and polyester-isocyanate systems, polyurethane and solutions of vinyl chloride / vinyl acetate, vinyl acetate / vinyl acetate / vinyl copolymer solutions. Preferably, the selected adhesive is allowed to dry to a water-clear film and also remains ready for outdoor use.

When the carrier film 4 is removed from the combination of metallized transfer laminate 10 and plastic film 1, the release layer 5 is exposed if present. When such a layer is present in the transfer laminate 10 due to its release properties, it may be necessary to apply a resinous anchoring layer 6 (as shown in Fig. 3) to the free surface of the release layer 5 to facilitate anchoring of a later applied layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 7 and optionally a release layer 8 (as shown in Fig. 4).

Anchoring layers that are compatible with and thus have good anchoring to both the release layer 5 and the desired pressure-sensitive adhesive 7 fulfill the intended purpose. The anchoring layer must also have good cohesive properties, so that no internal cracks appear in the finished laminate. Polyurethane anchoring layers with the above-described compatibility properties and cohesive properties constitute a representative class of anchoring layers that can be used.

Fig. 4 shows a preferred finished laminate according to the invention, in which a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive 7 and release layer 8 is applied to the free surface of the anchoring layer 6. The pressure-sensitive adhesive 7 used in the laminate can also be one of the pressure sensitive adhesives known and commonly used in the art. Among tacky, contact-adhesive adhesives that can be used in the product according to the invention may be mentioned those based on elastomeric materials such as (1) natural rubber, (2) synthetic rubber including e.g. styrene-butadiene copolymer, polyisobutylene, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer, polychloroprene and polyisoprene, (3) acrylic copolymer containing at least 50% by weight of a C4-C12 alkyl acrylate ester, i.e. an alkyl acrylate ester in which the alkyl group contains 4 to 12 carbon atoms, to with a curing comonomer, e.g. vinyl acetate, styrene, methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate and vinyl chloride and (4) polymers of alkyl vinyl ethers, such as polymethyl vinyl ether and polyethyl vinyl ether. Acrylic-type adhesive adhesives are preferred because they exhibit the best balance of adhesive and cohesive properties for the laminate in question. The adhesive layer 7 usually has a thickness of between about 0.013 - 0.05 mm.

If the laminate according to the invention is to be manufactured in one place and used in another place, a release layer 8 is preferably applied to the side of the contact-adhesive layer 7 which is furthest from the film 1. The release layer 8 can be of any material known to the person skilled in the art. providing contact adhesive products including removable, water-soluble protective coatings and the like. A preferred material is silicone coated release paper with a thickness of about 0.05 - 0.3 mm. Of course, if the film-adhesive composite material is to be manufactured and applied to the desired substrate in the same manufacturing facility, no release liner needs to be used.

A preferred way of combining the product containing the film 1, contact adhesive 7 and release liner 8 is by transfer coating. In such a method, a solution of the adhesive 7 is applied to the release liner 8 and the resulting composition is heated to dry the adhesive layer 7. The adhesive side of the release liner kt dkt laminate is then laminated to the free surface of the protective layer 6 by conventional lamination between rollers to complete the product. shown in Fig. 4.

When the laminate according to the invention is to be used, the adhesive layer 7 is brought into contact with the selected substrate, e.g. a motor vehicle, and is fixed by means of pressure.

The invention is illustrated in more detail below in connection with an exemplary embodiment.

Example I: This example illustrates how a product according to the invention was prepared under laboratory conditions.

An outdoor grade transparent polyvinyl chloride film having a thickness of about 0.07 mm was laminated to a release liner coated polyester film, which was metallized and then coated onto the metallized surface with a clear, light resistant, heat activatable adhesive (No. 9353 Chromtex Smooth Gold 78 with 840 adhesive "from" Kurz-Hastings, Inc., Philadelphia, USA). This metallized transfer laminate was 0.02 mm thick and was laminated with its adhesive side to the matte side of the polyvinyl chloride film by passing both films over a series of heated drums. As a result, the temperature of the heat-activated adhesive rose to about 135 ° C to activate and form a satisfactory bond between the metallized transfer laminate and the polyvinyl chloride film.

The polyester film was then removed from the transfer laminate leaving a polyvinyl chloride film / adhesive / metal layer / release liner coated intermediate.

In order to satisfactorily bond the pressure-sensitive adhesive and release paper to the release-coated side of the product from the previous step, about 0.005 mm of a polyurethane anchoring coating was applied to the release liner. The urethane polymer used was an unreacted urethane polymer in the form of a solution in toluene and isopropanol (available as "Milloxane LS-516" from Millmaster Onyx), after which the anchor layer was allowed to dry by heating at 70 ° C for 30 seconds. A layer of about 0.025 mm of pressure-sensitive adhesive was applied to the pre-anchoring layer by conventional transfer techniques.The adhesive used was a high molecular weight, thermoplastic acrylic terpolymer found under the name "Durotak 80-1053" from National Starch and Chemical Corp. The adhesive was applied. directly on the release paper to a thickness of about 0.076 mm and then the solvent was evaporated by heating at 100 ° C for 2 minutes, followed by lamination of the dried adhesive to the anchoring layer by passing the adhesive / release laminate and the polyvinyl chloride-containing laminate through a laminating pair of rollers.

After lamination, there was a good adhesion between the layer of contact adhesive and the anchoring layer. The resulting laminate could be used as a metallized film for application to e.g. bilar.

Claims (12)

179ø3os1-6 8 Patent claims A decorative film laminate, characterized in that it comprises: f (a) a substantially transparent plastic film (1), (b) a thin metal layer adhesively bonded to one side of the plastic film (1) by means of an adhesive layer ( 3) and (c) a layer (7) of pressure-sensitive adhesive against the thin metal layer (2) on the side thereof which is furthest from the plastic film (1). Laminate according to claim 1, characterized in that the transparent plastic film (1) is selected from the group consisting of homopolymeris of vinyl chloride, copolymer of vinyl chloride, polyester resins and cellulose resins. Laminate according to claim 1, characterized in that the transparent plastic film (1) has a thickness of about 0.05-0.5 mm: Laminate according to Claim 1, characterized in that the adhesive layer (3) is a heat-activatable adhesive. Laminate according to claim 1, characterized in that the metal layer (2) has a thickness of about 500-12500 Å. Laminate according to claim 1, characterized in that when the metal layer has a release layer connected to its side facing away from the plastic film (1), an anchoring layer (6) is placed between the release layer (5) and the pressure-sensitive adhesive (7). Laminate according to Claim 1, characterized in that the pressure-sensitive adhesive (7) is of the acrylic type. Laminate according to Claim 1, characterized in that a release layer (8) is also applied to the surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive (7). Laminate according to Claim 1, characterized in that the plastic film (1) is made of polyvinyl chloride, the contact-adhesive adhesive (7) is of the acrylic type and in that a release layer (8) is also applied to the surface of the contact-adhesive adhesive. (7). 10. A method of making a laminate according to claim 1, characterized in that (a) a metallized transfer laminate is adhesively applied by means of an adhesive to one side of a substantially transparent plastic film, wherein the transfer laminate has a thin metal layer applied to a carrier film, (b) the carrier film is torn off from the product obtained in step (a) and (c) a layer of adhesive is applied to the side of the metal layer facing from the side facing the substantially transparent film. H. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that an anchoring layer is applied to the product derived from step (b) before applying the layer of adhesive adhesive. 12. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that the pressure-sensitive adhesive is bonded to a release liner when applied to the metal layer.